John Mason's map of Newfoundland, ca. 1617. (Detail)
In 1616, Mason was appointed Governor of the English colony at Cupid's
Cove (Cuperts Cove on the map), Conception Bay. Mason was the first
Englishman to draw a map of Newfoundland. Old maps like this one were
often inverted in their orientation and drawn with North situated at
the bottom of the map. Toward the bottom left of this detail and just
below the peninsula called North Falkland is inscribed in Latin "C Bona Vista a Caboto primum reperta" which in English means "Cape Bonavista first discovered by Cabot." Newfoundland landfall adherents cite this
statement on Mason's map to support their claims.
Courtesy of the Centre for Newfoundland Studies Archives,
Memorial University of Newfoundland Library, St. John's, Newfoundland.